Wherein I photograph my way through the year and try to learn something along the way...

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Relief, Please

Half day of school for the kids. Five showed up. Five. We did some turkey art and they helped me organize our classroom library. The district bought us lunch, we had a short meeting and she let us go home an hour and a half early. Being a teacher rocks!

However, I've been coughing like a barking seal for a week and a half and today came home with full on congestion and violent coughing to the point of gagging sometimes. Not to mention when I have my feet up here at home I cough non-stop. I've been using a nettie pot but it only relieves symptoms short term. I called the dr and what they recommended, the pharmacist recommended against. I've ended up taking clortrimeton and vick's vaporub. Ergg. Gross stuff but I'll do anything for relief that won't harm my baby.

Terrified to take anything, terrified to do nothing and let the symptoms roll out of control.

Not to mention that I've had to change underpants about 10 times since I got home because I dribbled. Errrgggg....

12 comments:

Paige, yes, being a teacher at this time of year does rock. I'm sorry you are feeling so crappy. Let your family look after you some. Try to take care of yourself and hopefully that will also take care of Sweetpea.

Mucinex saved me and they assured me it's safe for baby bean... also panty liners are a daily must! When I grabbed some at walmart E said "I thought you don't need that kind of thing when you're pregnant?!"

Ugh. I went through this when I was preggers, too. What helped me alot was turning the shower on HOT and getting a comfy pillow & book to read & sat in the steamy bathroom for about a half hour. Breathing in all that warm, humid air was such a relief.

Of course this is only short term, but I found if I did this a few times in the evening, my cough actually got better. Also, you might try a warm humidifier next to your bed at night while you sleep.

Sometimes lung symptoms can very aggravated by anxiety - try to calm down (lol - DON'T THINK OF AN ELEPHANT). That doesn't mean whats going on isn't real, but try not to stress about it. You'd never let anything hurt your baby, so you'll take the right precautions and also take care of yourself. Don't wait till its insane, maybe go in to see the Dr.. tell that what the pharm said? Generally pharmacists know their ish..

I'm currently hating the pharmacists in our town, so I wouldn't believe a word the pharmacist said! (They're all making me CRAZY! LOL) But I know that our obs say that dextromethorphan is ok - if you're that miserable, a small dose might help. Especially if the hot steamy bathroom trick doesn't work.

Oh, when I was in college I worked for a chiropractor who had a good friend who specialized in homeopathic medicine. For bad, productive coughs he recommended a liter of water with the juice of one lemon (pulp encouraged) added. Hot tea with honey and lemon also helps. Both of these are completely safe in pregnancy. I hope you feel better soon!

So sorry! My ob said I could take a few different kind of drugs for coughing, but I am too scared and don't remember which ones she said. And so sorry about the peeing in your pants... I so have that problem too... panty liners all the time for me these days.

Yes, my sister does like to rub in that she has the holidays off and the summer. And that I could in fact too (I have the degree and all). Since my job is 24/7 which means that I'll be working part of Christmas Day :( But I tell her that she works much harder than I do--career vs. job.I also remember her talking about pantyliners daily during pregnancy ;)I do hope that you are all better by now, or at least down the road to being so. Sorry you had miss Thanksgiving with your family :( But actually you were with your new little family, huh ;)